Method and apparatus for maintaining integrity of long-term orbits in a remote receiver

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for maintaining integrity of long-term-orbit information used by a Global-Navigation-Satellite-System or other positioning receiver is described. The method comprises obtaining a predicted pseudorange from a first set of long-term-orbit information possessed by a positioning receiver; obtaining, at the positioning receiver from at least one satellite, a measured pseudorange; determining validity of the predicted pseudorange as a function of the predicted pseudorange and the measured pseudorange; and excluding from the long-term-orbit information at least a portion thereof when the validity of the predicted pseudorange is deemed invalid. Optionally, the method may comprise updating or otherwise supplementing the long-term-orbit information with other orbit information if the validity of the predicted pseudorange is deemed invalid.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application for patent Ser.No. 11/567,629 filed Dec. 6, 2006, that is a continuation-in-partapplication of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/333,787,filed Jan. 17, 2006 (Attorney Docket GLBL 022P2), which is acontinuation-in-part application of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/993,335, filed Nov. 6, 2001, which is a continuation-in-partof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/884,874, filed Jun. 19, 2001, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,560,534, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/875,809, filed Jun. 6, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No.6,542,820.

This application is also a continuation-in-part application ofco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/289,959, filed Nov. 30,2005, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/712,807, filed 13 Nov. 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,992,617.

This application contains subject matter that is related to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/715,860, filed Nov. 17, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No.6,417,801. Each of the aforementioned related patents and/or patentapplications is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to position-location systems,and more particularly, to monitoring the integrity ofsatellite-navigation data for a Global-Navigation-Satellite System.

2. Description of the Related Art

A Global-Navigation-Satellite-System (GNSS) receiver needssatellite-navigation data, such as satellite orbits and clock models, tocompute distances to each of several satellites, which in turn, may beused to compute a position of the GNSS receiver. The distances areformed by computing time delays between transmission and reception ofsatellite signals broadcast from satellites in view of the GNSS receiverand received by the GNSS receiver on or near the surface of the earth.The time delays multiplied by the speed of light yield the distancesfrom the GNSS receiver to each of the satellites that are in view.

In some current implementations, the type of satellite-navigation dataacquired by the GNSS receiver is broadcast ephemeris data (or simplybroadcast ephemeris) and broadcast satellite time, which are obtained bydecoding satellite-navigation messages contained within the satellitesignals. This broadcast ephemeris includes standard satellite orbits andclock models, and the broadcast satellite time is an absolute timeassociated with the entire constellation of satellites. The GNSSreceiver uses the broadcast satellite time to unambiguously determineexact time of broadcast (e.g., by time tagging the transmission andreception) for each of the satellite signals.

With knowledge of the exact time of broadcast of each of the satellitesignals, the GNSS receiver uses the broadcast ephemeris to calculate asatellite position for each of the satellites (i.e., where each of thesatellites was) when it broadcast its corresponding satellite signals.The satellite positions along with the distances to the each of thesatellites allow the position of the GNSS receiver to be determined.

By way of example, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver (i.e., onepossible embodiment of the GNSS receiver) may receive from each orbitingGPS satellites in view of the GPS receiver a number of GPS signals thatare formed using unique pseudo-random noise (PN) codes. These PN codesare commonly known as C/A codes, and each is used by the GPS receiver touniquely identify which of the GPS satellites broadcast such the GPSsignals. The GPS receiver determines the aforementioned time delays bycomparing time shifts between or otherwise correlating sequences of (i)the PN codes of the broadcast GPS signals received at the GPS receiverand (ii) replicas of the PN codes locally generated by the GPS receiver.

At very low signal levels, the GPS receiver may obtain the PN codes ofthe broadcast GPS signals to provide unambiguous time delays byprocessing, and essentially averaging, many frames of the sequences ofthe PN codes. These time delays are called “sub-millisecondpseudoranges” because they are known modulo of the 1 millisecondboundaries of these frames. By resolving the integer number ofmilliseconds associated with each of the time delays to each of thesatellite, then true, unambiguous pseudoranges may be determined. Theprocess of resolving the unambiguous pseudoranges is commonly known as“integer millisecond ambiguity resolution.”

A set of four pseudoranges together with knowledge of (i) the absolutetimes of transmissions of the GPS signals, and (ii) satellite positionsat such absolute times is sufficient to solve for the position of theGPS receiver. The absolute times of transmission are used fordetermining the positions of the satellites at the times oftransmission, and hence, for determining the position of the GPSreceiver.

Each of the GPS satellites move at approximately 3.9 km/s, and thus, therange of such satellite, as observed from the earth, changes at a rateof at most .+−.800 m/s. Errors in absolute may result in range errors ofup to 0.8 m for each millisecond of timing error. These range errorsproduce a similarly sized error in the GPS receiver position. Hence,absolute time accuracy of 10 ms is sufficient for position accuracy ofapproximately 10 m. Errors in the absolute timing of much more than 10ms result in large position errors, and so, current and priorimplementations have typically required the absolute time to have aminimum accuracy of approximately 10 milliseconds.

Downloading the broadcast ephemeris from one or more of the satellitesis always slow (i.e., no faster than 18 seconds given that the GPSsatellite-navigation message is 900 bits in length and broadcast in a 50bit-per-second (bps) data stream). When in environments in which the GPSsignals have very low signal strengths, downloading the broadcastephemeris is frequently difficult and sometimes impossible. Response tothese obstacles, some prior and current GPS implementations make use ofa terrestrial wireless or wired communication medium for transmittingthe broadcast ephemeris to a GPS. These GPS implementations are commonlyknown as “Assisted-Global-Positioning Systems” or, simply, AGPSs.

Recently, the GNSS began using the AGPS (or an AGPS-like system) toprovide to the GNSS receiver other types of assistance information alongwith or instead of the broadcast ephemeris. This assistance informationmay include acquisition-assistance information to assist in acquiringthe satellite signals; one or more types of the satellite-navigationdata, including, for example, long-term orbit and clock models(collectively LTO information), and any other information that the maybe used to acquire the satellite signals and/or determine the positionof the GNSS receiver.

To be able to acquire the satellite signals and/or determine theposition of the GNSS receiver with appropriate accuracy, the GNSSreceiver uses the assistance data only while it is valid. The assistancedata (regardless of its type) is valid for a given amount of time or“validity period.” For example, the validity period foracquisition-assistance information is generally several minutes. Thevalidity period for the broadcast ephemeris is a few (i.e., 2-4) hours.The validity period for the LTO information is any amount of timegreater than the validity period for the broadcast ephemeris, and may bea few days, a week or more.

When the validity period expires, the assistance data has to be retiredand replaced with “fresh” assistance data. Using the assistance dataafter its validity period expires may prevent acquisition of thesatellites and/or cause a significant amount of error in a computedposition of the GNSS receiver. Similarly, the satellite-navigation data,such as the ephemeris and the LTO information, may become invaliddespite having an unexpired validity period.

For example, a clock within a given satellite may have drifted outsidethe expected range or an orbit of a given satellite may have changedbeyond an expected range (i) between the time that the assistance datais delivered and used by the GNSS receiver, and/or (ii) during thevalidity period of the assistance data. Using such assistance data mayprevent acquisition of the satellites and/or cause a significant amountof error in a computed position of the GNSS receiver.

Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a method and apparatusthat monitors and maintains the integrity of assistance data deliveredto a GNSS receiver.

SUMMARY

A method and apparatus for maintaining integrity of long-term-orbitinformation used by a GNSS or other positioning receiver is described.The method may include obtaining a predicted pseudorange from a firstset of long-term-orbit information possessed by a positioning receiver;obtaining, at the positioning receiver from at least one satellite, ameasured pseudorange; determining validity of the predicted pseudorangeas a function of the predicted pseudorange and the measured pseudorange;and excluding from the long-term-orbit information at least a portionthereof when the validity of the predicted pseudorange is deemedinvalid. Optionally, the method may comprise updating or otherwisesupplementing the long-term-orbit information with other orbitinformation if the validity of the predicted pseudorange is deemedinvalid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the presentinvention can be understood in detail, a more particular description ofthe invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference toembodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings.

It is to be noted that the Figures in the appended drawings, like thedetailed description, are examples. And as such, the Figures and thedetailed description are not to be considered limiting, and otherequally effective examples are possible and likely. Furthermore, likereference numerals in the Figures indicate like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an example of a position locationsystem;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting an example of a receiver for usewith a Global-Navigation-Satellite System;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram depicting an example of a server for use witha Global-Navigation-Satellite System;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a process formonitoring the integrity of assistance data in use by one or morereceivers of a Global-Navigation-Satellite System;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a process foridentifying unhealthy satellites;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram depicting another example of a process foridentifying unhealthy satellites;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram depicting yet another example of a process foridentifying unhealthy satellites;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a process for obtainingfrom a server integrity data and/or fresh aiding data;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram depicting another example of a process foridentifying unhealthy satellites;

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a process forobtaining and using fresh aiding data; and

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating another example of a process forobtaining and using fresh aiding data.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an example of a Global NavigationSatellite System (“GNSS”) 100. The GNSS 100 includes a plurality orconstellation of satellites for transmitting satellite signals, asrepresented satellites 105, a GNSS receiver 104 for receiving thesatellite signals, and a server 102. The satellites 105, the GNSSreceiver 104, the server 102, the GNSS 100 as a whole, and functions,procedures, components and other details provided herein may be tailoredfor any GNSS, including, for example, the Global Positioning System(“GPS”), GALILEO, GLONASS, SBAS (Space Based Augmentation System), QZSS(Quazi-Zenith Satellite System), LAAS (Local Area Augmentation System)or some combination thereof.

The GNSS receiver 104 may be in communication with the server 102 via acommunication link. This communication link may be formed, for example,by communicatively coupling one or more nodes of a network, such as awireless communication system 106 (e.g., cellular telephone network)and/or other type of network 108, including a packet-data network, suchas the Internet, a circuit-switched network, such as a PSTN, or aconvergence of both.

For purposes of clarity, the system 100 is shown with only one GNSSreceiver 104 and only one server 102. It is to be understood, however,that the system 100 may include and/or be deployed with a plurality ofGNSS receivers and servers, and that each of these additional GNSSreceivers and servers may communicate with the server 102 (and/or theadditional servers) via respective communication links.

In the GNSS 100, a position of the GNSS receiver 102 may be determined,computed or otherwise formed as a function of the satellite signalsreceived from the satellites 105. For example, the GNSS receiver 104 mayacquire satellite signals broadcast by a one or more satellites in aconstellation (shown collectively as the “satellites 105”), and maymeasure pseudoranges to one or more (and typically four) of thesatellites 105 to locate its unknown position (“receiver position”).When configured for GPS, the GNSS receiver 104 may, for example, measurepseudoranges to a plurality of GPS satellites in the GPS constellation.

To assist in the acquisition of satellite signals, the computation ofthe receiver position, or both, the GNSS receiver 104 may receive fromthe server 102 assistance data, which is formed from, contains, derivedfrom and/or is associated with or otherwise garnered from the satellitesignals. The GNSS receiver 104, in turn, may (i) use the assistancedata, including one or more expected or predicted pseudoranges(hereinafter “predicted pseudoranges”), to assist in acquisition of thesatellite signals; (ii) measure actual pseudoranges from the satellitesignals (“measured pseudoranges”); and (iii) transmit the measuredpseudoranges to the server 102 over the communication link, e.g., thewireless communication system 106.

The server 102 may use the measured pseudoranges to solve for theunknown position of the GNSS receiver 104 (i.e., the “receiverposition”). The receiver position may be thereafter transmitted to theGNSS receiver 104 via the communication link, or made available to athird-party requester 199 via another manner, such as through theInternet.

As an alternative, the GNSS receiver 104 may use the measuredpseudoranges to compute its own position (i.e., the receiver position)without transmitting the pseudoranges to the server 102. In this case,the GNSS receiver 104 uses the assistance data to assist in acquisitionof the satellite signals and/or the computation of the receiverposition.

To generate the assistance data, the server 102 uses various broadcastedmeasurements and information associated with the constellation,including for example, broadcast ephemeris, code phase measurements,carrier phase measurements; Doppler measurements, and the like. Asnoted, the broadcasted measurements and information may be obtaineddirectly from the satellite signals and/or by decoding one or moresatellite-navigation messages that are broadcast from the satellites105.

Alternatively, the server 102 may have to obtain or receive the variousbroadcasted measurements and information from an external source. Thisexternal source may be any device that obtains and distributes thebroadcasted measurements and information, and may be, for example,embodied as reference network 110; a satellite control station 112, suchas a Master Control Station (“MCS”) in GPS; or other source of suchinformation, such as a data store communicatively coupled to theInternet.

The reference network 110 may include a plurality of tracking stations;each of which may include a satellite-signal receiver (also known as areference receiver). The plurality of tracking stations collect anddistribute, in one form or another, the broadcasted measurements andinformation from all the satellites in the constellation. Alternatively,the reference network 110 may include a one or more tracking stationsthat collect and distribute, in one form or another, such measurementsand information (i) from a subset of all the satellites in theconstellation or (ii) for one or more particular regions of the world.Each of the aforementioned tracking stations is typically at a knownlocation. Details of one or more examples of a system for distributingbroadcasted measurements and information, such as the broadcastephemeris, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,411,892, issued Jun. 25,2002, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.Included within such details are one or more examples of a referencenetwork and corresponding tracking stations.

The assistance information generated by the server 102 may include (i)acquisition-assistance information to assist in acquiring the satellitesignals such as code phase measurements, carrier phase measurements;Doppler measurements, and the like; (ii) one or more types of thesatellite-navigation data, including, for example, broadcast ephemerisand/or long-term orbit and clock models (collectively LTO information),and (iii) any other information that the may be used to acquire thesatellite signals and/or determine the receiver position.

In addition, the satellite-navigation data may include one or more ofthe predicted pseudoranges and/or a model of such predicted pseudoranges(“pseudorange model”). Accordingly, the server 102 may obtain anddistribute the predicted pseudoranges and/or the pseudorange model.Details of one or more examples of a system for distributing and usingpredicted pseudoranges and/or a pseudorange model to acquire satellitesignals is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,237, issued Sep. 17, 2002,which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

When the assistance data includes broadcast ephemeris and/or LTOinformation, such as an LTO model, the server 102 and/or the externalsource may obtain the broadcast ephemeris from the satellites 105(directly or indirectly), process the broadcast ephemeris (if at all),and distribute the broadcast ephemeris and/or LTO information to theGNSS receiver 104. Details of one or more examples of systems andmethods for obtaining, processing, distributing and/or using thebroadcast ephemeris and LTO information, such as an LTO model, aredescribed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/333,787,filed Jan. 17, 2006; Ser. No. 09/993,335, filed Nov. 6, 2001; and U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,560,534 and 6,542,820, which as noted above, areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

As above, the assistance data (regardless of its type) is valid for its“validity period,” which may be a short, medium, or long amount orduration of time. The validity period for acquisition-assistanceinformation is generally several minutes. The validity period for thebroadcast ephemeris is a few (i.e., 2-4) hours. The validity period forthe LTO information is any amount of time greater than the validityperiod for the broadcast ephemeris, and may be a few days, a week ormore. The assistance data may also become invalid unexpectedly duringits validity period. This typically occurs when a satellite orbit orsatellite clock is adjusted during the validity period of the assistancedata.

Regardless of the type, content and/or format of the assistance data, if(or when) the broadcasted measurements and information upon which acurrent version of the assistance data is based becomes invalid(“invalid assistance data”), then the GNSS receiver 104 might not beable to adequately, if at all, acquire the satellite signals and/orcompute the receiver position using such current assistance data. If,however, the GNSS receiver 104 is able to acquire the satellite signalsand/or compute the receiver position using the invalid assistance datathen accuracy of the receiver position is more likely than not to beseverely degraded. To detect and potentially compensate for suchsituation, the server 102 and/or the GNSS receiver 104 may monitor andadjust for deficiencies in the integrity of the assistance data in useby the GNSS receiver 104 (“current assistance data”).

As described in detail below, the server 102 may obtain the broadcastedmeasurements and information, and generate, using such broadcastedmeasurements and information, integrity data for use with the assistancedata. Alternatively the GNSS receiver 104 may obtain from the server 102(usually responsive to one or more requests from the GNSS receiver 104)more recent or “fresh” assistance data when the GNSS receiver 104determines that the current assistance data lacks integrity or is nolonger valid, as described below with respect to FIGS. 8, 10 and 11, forexample. The GNSS receiver 104 may do so notwithstanding that thebroadcasted measurements and information upon which the currentassistance data is deemed valid.

Typically, the broadcasted measurements and information obtained by theserver 102 is more up to date than the current assistance data. Theintegrity data produced by the server 102, in turn, may reflect thiscondition, and as such, may be transmitted to the GNSS receiver 104,accordingly.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting an example of a GNSS receiver 200for a GNSS. The GNSS receiver 200 may be used as the GNSS receiver 104shown in FIG. 1. The GNSS receiver 200 illustratively comprises asatellite signal receiver 202, a wireless transceiver 204, a processor206, a memory 208, and optionally, a modem 210 (or other communicationport or device). The combination of the satellite signal receiver 202,the wireless transceiver 204, and memory 208 may be contained within amobile station, such as a cellular phone, pager, laptop computer,personal-digital assistant (PDA) and like type wireless device known inthe art.

The satellite signal receiver 202 comprises circuitry to facilitatereceiving and processing satellite signals in a well-known manner.Typically, the satellite signal receiver 202 comprises a radio frequency(RF) front end 203 coupled to a baseband processor 205. The satellitesignal receiver 202 acquires the satellite signals via the RF front end203 and uses the baseband processor 205 to generate pseudorangemeasurements (i.e., clock errors plus distances between the GNSSreceiver 200 and the satellites 105). Any form of a positioning moduleis useful in this role. Examples of the satellite signal receiver 202may be found in any of the GL20000, Hammerhead and Marlin available fromGlobal Locate Inc. of San Jose, Calif., or the SiRFStarIII availablefrom SiRF Technology Holdings Inc. of San Jose, Calif. An exemplary AGPSreceiver that may be used with the invention is described in U.S. Pat.No. 6,453,237. The pseudoranges measurements may be coupled to thewireless transceiver 204 through the processor 206.

The processor 206 comprises a central processing unit (“CPU”) 212, aninput/output (“I/O”) interface 214, support circuits 218, and at leastone bus or serial communication link 216. The CPU 210 may be one or morewell-known processors or microprocessors. The support circuits 216comprise well known circuits that facilitate operation of the CPU 212.The support circuits 216 may comprise at least one of cache, powersupplies, clock circuits, and the like.

The bus or serial communication link 218 provides for transmissions ofdigital information, including information relating to determining thereceiver position, among the CPU 212, support circuits 216, memory 208,I/O interface 214, and other portions of the GNSS receiver 200 (notshown).

The I/O interface 214 provides an interface to control the transmissionsof digital information to and from the GNSS receiver 200. The I/Ointerface 214 may interface with one or more I/O devices, such as themodem 210, a keyboard, touch screen, and/or other device.

The transceiver 204 may be used to communicate with the wirelesscommunication system 106 and/or the other type of network 108. Using thetransceiver 204, the GNSS receiver 200 may obtain from an externalsource, such as the server 102, assistance information to assist inacquiring and processing the satellite signals.

Examples of a combination of a satellite-signal receiver and atransceiver, and an assistance server are provided in commonly-assignedU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,411,892; 6,429,814; 6,587,789; 6,590,530; 6,703,972;6,704,651; and 6,813,560; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/993,335,filed Nov. 6, 2001; Ser. No. 10/349,493, filed Jan. 22, 2003; Ser. No.10/359,468, filed on Feb. 5, 2003; Ser. No. 10/692,292, filed Oct. 23,2003; Ser. No. 10/719,890, filed Nov. 21, 2003; Ser. No. 10/926,792,filed Aug. 26, 2004; Ser. No. 10/884,424, filed on Jul. 1, 2004; Ser.No. 10/912,516, filed Aug. 5, 2004; Ser. No. 10/932,557, filed on Sep.1, 2004; Ser. No. 10/968,345, filed on Oct. 19, 2004; Ser. No.11/077,380, filed on Mar. 3, 2005; Ser. No. 11/206,615, filed on Aug.18, 2005; Ser. No. 11/261,413, filed on Oct. 28, 2005; and U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/760,140, filed on Jan. 19,2006; all of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

The wireless transceiver 204 may transmit, using its antenna 220, themeasured pseudoranges for computing the receiver position at a server,such as server 102. Alternatively the measured pseudoranges may bestored within the memory 208 and later used by the GNSS receiver 200 tocompute the receiver position. For example, the GNSS receiver 200 mayperform processing to compute the receiver position using thepseudoranges that are generated by the satellite signal receiver 202.That is, the GNSS receiver 200 may use its processor 206, which iscapable of performing functions other than the computation of receiverposition, to (i) load from the memory 208 (or obtain directly from thesatellite signal receiver 202) the pseudoranges that are generated bythe satellite signal receiver 202, and (ii) compute the receiverposition using these measured pseudoranges.

The memory 208 may be embodied as random access memory, read onlymemory, an erasable programmable read only memory and variationsthereof, content addressable memory and variations thereof, flashmemory, disk drive storage, removable storage, hard disc storage etc.,and any combination thereof. The memory 208 may be loaded with and storethe current assistance data 222, which can be used to assist in theacquisition of satellite signals or the computation of position or both.The current assistance data 222 may be received from the server 102 viathe communication link using the wireless transceiver 204 or via theother type computer network 108 (e.g., Internet) using the modem 210 (orother communication port or device that connects the device to acomputer network).

In addition, the memory 208 may be loaded with and store executableinstructions or other code (e.g., software) for some or all of theprocess or function described herein. These executable instructions mayinclude, for example, assistance-data-maintenance software 228 forperforming some or all of the processes 800, 1000 and 100 illustrated inFIGS. 8, 10 and 11 (below).

Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram depicting an example of aserver 300 for a GNSS is shown. The server 300 may be used as the server102 shown in FIG. 1. The server 300 illustratively comprises a centralprocessing unit (CPU) 302, input/output (I/O) circuits 304, supportcircuits 306, a memory 308, and a server clock 310.

The server 300 may include or be coupled to a device database 312. Thesupport circuits 306 comprise well-known circuits that facilitateoperation of the CPU 202, such as clock circuits, cache, power supplies,and the like. The server clock 310 may be used to provide a time tag toindicate the time-of-arrival of measured pseudoranges transmitted by aGNSS receiver, such as GNSS receiver 104 and/or 200.

The memory 308 may be embodied as random access memory, read onlymemory, an erasable programmable read only memory and variationsthereof, content addressable memory and variations thereof, flashmemory, disk drive storage, removable storage, hard disc storage etc.,and any combination thereof. The memory 308 may be loaded with and storeexecutable instructions or other code (e.g., software) for any processor function described herein. These executable instructions may include,for example, integrity-monitoring software 320 for performing process400 illustrated in FIG. 4 (below), satellite-health-monitoring software322 for performing any of the processes 500, 600, 700 and 900illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 9 (below); assistance-data-maintenancesoftware 324 for performing some or all of the process 800 illustratedin FIG. 8 (below).

The server 300 via its I/O circuits 304 may receive the broadcastedmeasurements and information (e.g., ephemeris, code phase measurements,carrier phase measurements, Doppler measurements, etc.) from theexternal source (e.g., reference network, satellite control station,Internet). The server 300 may use the broadcasted measurements andinformation to generate or compute the current assistance data and/orone or more previous or future versions of the assistance data.

To monitor the integrity of the current assistance data, the server 300keeps track of the type of assistance data distributed to each of aplurality of remote receivers (not shown), a time of delivery of thecurrent assistance data, and a time of expiration of the currentassistance data. In one embodiment, this information may be stored in atable 350 within a device database 312. The table 350 may have entries(e.g., three are shown) defined by, for example, a remote device ID, thetime-of-day that the current assistance data was delivered to each ofthe remote devices listed in the table, the type of assistance datadelivered, and the expiration time of the aiding data.

For example, an entry 352 indicates that (i) acquisition assistanceinformation was delivered, at time t1, to one of the remote deviceshaving an ID of “1,” and (ii) the acquisition assistance data is set toexpire 10 minutes from time t1. An entry 354 indicates that (i)broadcast ephemeris was delivered, at time t2, to one of the remotedevices having an ID of “2,” and (ii) the broadcast ephemeris data isset to expire four hours from time t2. An entry 356 indicates that (i)LTO information was delivered, at time t3, to a device having an ID of“3,” and (ii) the LTO information is set to expire two days from timet3.

The server 300 monitors the integrity of the current assistance data inuse by the remote devices identified in the device database 312, andresponsively, produces integrity data 314. The integrity data 314 may bestored in the memory 308 and transmitted to one or more remote devices,as described below.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a process 400 formonitoring the integrity of current assistance data used by one or moreGNSS receivers of a GNSS. The process 400 may be executed by a server ofa GNSS, such as the server 300, to monitor the integrity of the currentassistance data in use by the GNSS receivers.

The process 400 begins at step 402 where unhealthy satellites associatedwith current assistance data used by GNSS receivers are identified. Asdescribed by way of example, any of the example processes 500, 600, 700,and 900 (below) may be used to identify unhealthy satellites.

At optional step 403, a period of outage is determined for each of theidentified unhealthy satellites. For example, a period of outage foreach of the identified unhealthy satellites may be obtained from outagenotification data generated by a satellite control station, as discussedbelow with respect to the process 900 of FIG. 9.

At step 404, integrity data is generated. This integrity data includesan identity of each of the unhealthy satellites and a correspondingperiod of outage, if known. If outage periods are unknown, then theintegrity data may include no period of outage or the period of outagemay be set to a pre-defined value or to a value based on the particulartype of aiding data in use.

For example, the period of outage may be set to any time between two tofour hours when the current assistance data is based on or uses thebroadcast ephemeris. Alternatively, the period of outage may be set to atime greater than such validity period when the current assistance datais based on or uses the LTO information.

The integrity data may then be transmitted to the GNSS receivers thatare using the current assistance data. In one embodiment, at step 406,the integrity data may be transmitted to affected GNSS receivers inresponse to identified unhealthy satellites. That is, if any satelliteswere identified as being unhealthy, the integrity data is transmitted tothe GNSS receivers having current assistance data that is affected bysuch unhealthy satellites. Thus, the integrity data is only sent whenunhealthy satellites are identified and only sent to the GNSS receiversaffected by such identified unhealthy satellites. In another embodiment,at step 405, the integrity data may be transmitted to some or all of theGNSS receivers in response to unhealthy satellites being identified.

In another embodiment, at step 408, the integrity data is transmitted toGNSS receivers in accordance with a pre-defined transmission schedule.For example, the integrity data may be periodically broadcast to some orall of the GNSS receivers using the current assistance data; whether ornot unhealthy satellites have been identified. In yet anotherembodiment, at step 410, the integrity data may be transmitted to one ormore of the GNSS receivers in response to requests from such GNSSreceivers.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a process 500 foridentifying unhealthy satellites. The process 500 begins at step 502,where a current set of the broadcasted measurements and information isobtained. This current set of measurements and information may bereceived over the communication link from a reference network, asatellite control station and/or other source of information.

At step 504, satellite orbit data, satellite clock data or both(hereinafter generally referred to as “orbit/clock data”) is extractedfrom the current set of the measurements and information. At step 506,the orbit/clock data is compared with orbit/clock data of one or moresets of the current assistance data being used by GNSS receivers so asto identify discrepancies. Such discrepancies may arise, for example,from a change in one or more of the satellites' orbits or a drift in oneor more of the satellites' clocks since the time the current assistancedata was generated. These discrepancies manifest may themselves asdifferences between the orbit/clock data extracted from the current setof the measurements and information and orbit/clock data underlying orotherwise part of the current assistance data.

At step 508, a determination is made as to whether any identifieddiscrepancies exceed a pre-defined threshold. If, for example, one ormore of the satellites' orbits change beyond a corresponding pre-definedthreshold, and/or if one or more of the satellites' clocks driftedoutside a corresponding pre-defined threshold, then the process 500proceeds to step 510. Otherwise, the process 500 ends at step 512. Atstep 510, the affected satellites associated with the identifieddiscrepancies are flagged as being unhealthy.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram depicting another example of a process 600 foridentifying unhealthy satellites. The process 600 begins at step 602,where a current set of the broadcasted measurements and information isobtained. This current set of measurements and information may bereceived over the communication link from a reference network, asatellite control station, and/or other source of information.

At step 604, satellite health data is extracted from the current set ofmeasurements and information. As described above, the broadcastephemeris from each of the satellites contains precise satellite orbitand time model information for such satellite. In addition, thebroadcast ephemeris may contain an indication of satellite health(“health status”).

In GPS, for example, changes in ephemeris are announced by the MCS bychanging the health status in the broadcast ephemeris. At step 606, thesatellite health data is analyzed to identify the presence of unhealthysatellites.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram depicting yet another example of a process 700for identifying unhealthy satellites. The process 700 begins at step702, where satellite signals are received at one or more trackingstations having known positions.

At step 704, positions of each of the tracking stations are computedusing one or more sets of current assistance data being used by the GNSSreceivers. At step 706, these positions (“computed positions”) arecompared to the known positions of the tracking stations. If, forexample, a given set of the current assistance data that is used tocompute one or more of the computed positions of the tracking stationsis invalid due to an unhealthy satellite, then these computed positionswill be in error (and/or be identified as having discrepancies).

Thus, at step 708, a determination is made as to whether any or each ofthe computed positions exceeds the respective known positions by apre-defined threshold. If so, the process 700 proceeds to step 710.Otherwise, the process 700 ends at step 712. At step 710, the affectedsatellites associated with the identified discrepancies are flagged asbeing unhealthy.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a process 800 forobtaining (e.g., requesting and receiving) from a server integrity dataand/or fresh assistance data. The process 800 begins at step 802, wheremeasured pseudoranges are measured from between a GNSS receiver, such asthe GNSS receiver 104 or 200, and one or more (and typically four) of aplurality of satellites, respectively.

At step 804, a computed position of the GNSS receiver is computed usingthe measured pseudoranges and the current assistance data. At step 806,a validity of the computed position is estimated.

The validity of the computed position may be estimated in any number ofvarious ways. For example, the validity of the computed position may beestimated using a-posteriori residuals, which may be formed as afunction of the measured pseudoranges. After formation, thesea-posteriori residuals may be analyzed to identify, which, if any, ofthe measured pseudoranges are erroneous. If any of the measuredpseudoranges are identified to be erroneous, then the validity of thecomputed position may be estimated as being invalid.

Other techniques may be used for estimating the validity of the computedposition. For example, the validity of the computed position may beestimated as a function of the computed position with an a-prioriposition. The a-priori position may be obtained, formed or otherwisegarnered from the current assistance data (including any broadcastephemeris and/or LTO information).

If, for example, a difference between the computed position and thea-priori position satisfies a particular threshold, then the validitymay be estimated as invalid. Alternatively, if the difference does notsatisfy the particular threshold, then the validity may be estimated asvalid.

The particular threshold may be statically set to accommodate for or,alternatively, dynamically set to adjust for one or more of myriad ofconditions, including, for example, an actual location of the GNSSreceiver, a time since last obtaining the current assistance data, basisand/or type of the current assistance data (e.g., whether the currentassistance data includes broadcast ephemeris and/or LTO information),etc. The particular threshold may include one or more thresholds, andmay be applied as one or more boundaries to the difference. Theboundaries may function as one or more upper bounds, one or more lowerbounds or some combination thereof.

As another alternative, the validity of the computed position may beestimated as a function of one or more a-priori pseudorange residuals.That is, the computed position may be estimated as a function of acomparison between respective predicted and measured pseudoranges. Thepredicted pseudorange may be based on the a-priori position and time,and/or other satellite-tracking data. The a-priori position and time,and/or any other satellite-tracking data may be garnered from or be partof the current assistance data, including the LTO information, oralternatively, from the broadcast ephemeris garnered from the satellitesignals.

Like above, when one or more of the a-priori pseudorange residualssatisfy respective thresholds, the validity may be estimated as invalid.Alternatively, when the a-priori pseudorange residuals do not satisfyrespective particular thresholds, the validity may be estimated asvalid.

Each of these respective thresholds may be statically set to accommodatefor or, alternatively, dynamically set to adjust for one or more of amyriad of conditions, including, for example, an actual location of theGNSS receiver, a time since last obtaining the current assistance data,basis and/or type of the current assistance data (e.g., whetherincluding broadcast ephemeris and/or LTO information), etc. Each of theparticular thresholds may include one or more thresholds, and may beapplied as boundaries to the a-priori pseudorange residuals. Theseboundaries may function as one or more upper bounds, one or more lowerbounds or some combination thereof.

Other examples for estimating the validity of the computed position mayuse variations and/or combinations of the foregoing, including, forexample, comparing computed and predicted altitudes, times, etc.

At step 808, a determination is made as to whether the computed positionis valid. This determination may be made as a function of estimating thevalidity of the computed position as described above. If the computedposition is valid, then the process 800 may return to step 802, at whichpoint the process 800 may be repeated. Otherwise, at least a portion ofthe current assistance data may be marked to prevent use, removed,deleted or otherwise excluded from the current assistance data(“excluded assistance data”) and then the process 800 proceeds to (i)step 810 or, as alternatives, to (ii) step 814 or (iii) step 818. Theexcluded assistance data may be, for example, the current assistancedata associated with satellite or satellites from which the measuredpseudorange is determined.

At step 810, the GNSS receiver obtains from the server, usually inresponse to one or more requests thereto, the integrity data. Afterreceipt, the GNSS receiver may use the integrity data to determinewhether the current assistance data possessed thereby is still valid, asshown in step 812. If the current assistance data is not valid, then theGNSS receiver may use the integrity data to update or otherwisesupplement the current assistance data (including, for example,replacing or otherwise modifying the excluded assistance data).Alternatively, the GNSS receiver may transition to step 814 to obtainfresh assistance data. If, on the other hand, the current assistancedata is valid, then the process 800 transitions to step 802, at whichpoint the process 800 may be repeated.

At step 814, the GNSS receiver obtains from the server, usually inresponse to one or more requests thereto, the fresh assistance data.This fresh assistance data may be formed from and includeacquisition-assistance information (“fresh-acquisition-assistanceinformation”) and/or satellite-navigation data(“fresh-satellite-navigation data”) that is more recent than theacquisition-assistance information and/or the satellite-navigation dataof the current assistance data.

The fresh-acquisition-assistance information, in turn, may includeinformation for acquiring the satellites, which may include at least oneof code phase measurements, carrier phase measurements; Dopplermeasurements, and the like that are garnered from one or more satellitenavigation messages broadcast from at least one of the satellites in theconstellation. The fresh-satellite-navigation data may include broadcastephemeris, one or more of the predicted pseudoranges, a pseudorangemodel, LTO information etc. that are more recent than such parameters ofthe current assistance data.

After obtaining the fresh assistance data, the GNSS receiver may usesome or all of the fresh assistance data to update or otherwisesupplement the current assistance data (including, for example,replacing or otherwise modifying the excluded assistance data), as shownin step 816. For example, the GNSS receiver may replace one or more ofthe predicted pseudoranges of the current assistance data withrespective predicted pseudoranges of the fresh assistance data.

If, for instance, the current assistance data is formed from the LTOinformation, such as the LTO model, then the GNSS receiver may replaceone or more of the predicted pseudoranges of the current assistance datawith respective predicted pseudoranges of the fresh assistance data,which may be also formed from LTO information, such as an LTO model.

Alternatively, the GNSS receiver may replace all of the currentassistance data with some or all of the fresh assistance data. If, likeabove, the current assistance data is formed from LTO information, thenthe GNSS receiver may replace all of the current assistance data withsome or all the fresh assistance data, which may also be formed from LTOinformation. The GNSS receiver may replace all of the current assistancedata as such notwithstanding that only a portion of, e.g., only one ofthe predicted pseudoranges, is estimated (step 808) or determined (step812) invalid.

As noted above with respect to step 808, process 800 may transition fromstep 808 to step 818 as an alternative. At step 818, the GNSS receivermay decode and then use broadcast ephemeris obtained directly from thesatellite-navigation messages contained within satellite signalsreceived at the GNSS receiver to update or otherwise supplement thecurrent assistance data (including, for example, replacing or otherwisemodifying the excluded assistance data). The GNSS receiver mayappropriately do so when (i) attenuation of the satellite signals allowsfor successful decoding of the broadcast ephemeris, and/or (ii) the GNSSreceiver is unable to obtain the integrity data and/or fresh assistancedata from the server. With respect to the latter, the GNSS receiver maynot be able to obtain the integrity data and/or fresh assistance databecause, for example, it lacks, cannot maintain or looses connectivitywith the server.

After updating or supplementing the current assistance data with thefresh assistance data, the process 800 may transition to step 802, atwhich point the process 800 may be repeated. The process 800 may berepeated periodically, in continuous fashion, or upon being triggered asa result a condition, such as detecting an error in the receiverposition or a satellite position. The 800 may be repeated for otherreasons as well.

In addition, the GNSS receiver may obtain the integrity data and/or thefresh assistance data without making a request for such data. Forexample, the integrity data and/or the fresh assistance data may beobtained from messages broadcasted from the server.

Additionally, the process 800 may transition to step 814 from step 812.This may occur when the a current set of the broadcasted measurementsand information and the current assistance data are both based on commoninformation, yet between the time of computing the receiver position andobtaining the current assistance data, the actual positions of thesatellites changed. While such changes may be reflected in thefresh-acquisition-assistance information and/orfresh-satellite-navigation data at the server, the integrity data sentto or at the GNSS receiver may not yet reflect such change.

Moreover, the integrity data may not yet reflect the changes or the timefor triggering replacement may not be reached because the currentassistance data is formed from LTO information, such as an LTO model.For instance, the server may not check and/or compute the integrity datafor the current assistance data because its validity period has notexpired or is not close to expiring. Other possibilities for this arelikely as well.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram depicting another example of a process 900 foridentifying unhealthy satellites in accordance with the invention. Theprocess 900 begins at step 902, where outage notification data generatedby a satellite control station is received. For example, the outagenotification data may be received directly from the satellite controlstation, or via some other source, such as over the Internet. Forexample, in GPS, the satellite constellation is monitored by stationsaround the world under control of a Master Control Station (MCS). TheMCS announces satellite outages that are either planned for the future,or unplanned and immediate, by providing Notice Advisories to NaystarUsers (NANUs) via the Internet.

At step 904, the outage notification data is parsed to identifyunhealthy satellites. At step 906, a period of outage for eachidentified unhealthy satellite is determined. For example, a period ofoutage for an identified unhealthy satellite may be obtained from NANUs.By using outage notification data, the invention ensures that currentassistance data in use by GNSS receivers always reflects the mostcurrent integrity status of the GPS constellation, regardless of whetherthe changes in integrity were planned for the future, or unplanned andimmediate.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a process 1000 forobtaining and using fresh assistance data. For convenience, the process1000 is described herein with respect to the architecture shown in FIGS.1 and 2.

The process 1000 begins at termination block 1002, after the GNSSreceiver 104 (i) obtains from the server 102 the current assistancedata, which includes LTO information, such as an LTO model, and (ii)acquires the satellite signals from one or more (and typically four) ofa plurality of satellites. For convenience, the current assistance datais referred to as “current LTO information” with respect to process1000.

After termination block 1002, the process 1000 transitions to processblock 1004. At process block 1004, the current LTO information is usedto determine a predicted position of the GNSS receiver 104(“predicted-position fix”). The predicted-position fix may bedetermined, for example, by the GNSS receiver 104 and/or the server 102.The GNSS receiver 104 and/or server 102 may do so, for instance, byapplying the current LTO information and measured pseudoranges to afirst recursive or other type filter, and detecting thepredicted-position fix from an output of the first filter. Thepredicted-position fix may include one or more respective locationparameters, including, for example, latitude, longitude, altitude and/ora common-mode error.

To facilitate determining the predicted-position fix at the server 102,the server 102 may obtain the measured pseudoranges and current LTOinformation from the GNSS receiver 104. Alternatively, the server 102may determine the predicted-position fix using the measured pseudorangesobtained from the GNSS receiver 104 and the current LTO informationknown by the server 102 to be in use by the GNSS receiver 104. Afterprocess block 1004, the process 1000 transitions to process block 1006.

At process block 1006, broadcast ephemeris obtained from satellitessignals is used to determine a measured position of the GNSS receiver104 (“measured-position fix”). The measured-position fix may bedetermined by the GNSS receiver 104 and/or one or more of the trackingstations of the reference network 110. The GNSS receiver 104 and/or thetracking stations may do so, for instance, by applying the broadcastephemeris obtained from signals of the satellites (garnered directlyfrom the satellites or indirectly from the server 102) and measuredpseudoranges to a second recursive or other type filter, and detectingthe measured-position fix from an output of the second filter. Themeasured-position fix, like the first position fix, may include one ormore respective location parameters, including, for example, latitude,longitude, altitude and/or a common-mode error. After process block1006, the process 1000 transitions to process block 1008.

At process block 1008, validity of at least one of the predictedlocation parameters is determined as a function of such predictedlocation parameter (“first-location parameter”) and a respective one ofthe measured location parameters (“second-location parameter”). Thevalidity may be determined, for example, by the GNSS receiver 104 and/orthe server 102. The GNSS receiver 104 and/or server 102 may do so, forinstance, by forming a difference between the first and second locationparameters, and then determining if the difference satisfies a giventhreshold. If, for example, the difference satisfies the giventhreshold, then the validity of the first-location parameter may bedeemed valid, otherwise, the validity of the first-location parametermay be deemed invalid.

The given threshold may be statically set to accommodate for or,alternatively, dynamically set to adjust for one or more of myriad ofconditions, including, for example, an actual location of the GNSSreceiver 104, a time since last obtaining the current LTO information,basis and/or type of the current LTO information, etc. The particularthreshold may include one or more thresholds, and may be applied asboundaries to the difference. These boundaries may function as one ormore upper bounds, one or more lower bounds or some combination thereof.

The same functions may be performed for one or more of the remainingpredicted location parameters, as desired. Alternatively, the samefunctions may be performed for each of the remaining predicted locationparameters unless one of them is deemed invalid.

To facilitate determining the validity at the server 102, the server 102may have to obtain the predicted-position fix from the GNSS receiver104. Using the predicted-position fix, the server 102 can obtain thefirst-location parameter. Similarly, the server 102 may have to obtainthe measured-position fix from the GNSS receiver 104 or the trackingstations, depending of course, on which determined the measured-positionfix. Using the measured-position fix, the server 102 can obtain thesecond-location parameter.

To facilitate determining the validity at the GNSS receiver 104, theGNSS receiver 104 may have to obtain the predicted-position fix from theserver 102. Using the predicted-position fix, the GNSS receiver 104 canobtain the first-location parameter. As shown in decision block 1010, ifthe GNSS receiver 104 and/or the server 102 determine that the predictedlocation parameters are valid, then the process returns to terminationblock 1002 to repeat the process 1000 as desired.

If, on the other hand, any of the predicted location parameters aredeemed invalid, then the GNSS receiver 104 may exclude (e.g., mark toprevent use, remove, delete, etc.) at least a portion of the current LTOinformation from the current LTO information (“excluded LTOinformation”). The excluded LTO information may be, for example, thecurrent LTO information associated with satellite or satellites fromwhich the measured pseudoranges are determined.

In addition, the GNSS receiver 104 may obtain fresh assistance data or“fresh LTO information” from the server 102, as shown in process block1012. The GNSS receiver 104 may obtain the fresh LTO information fromthe server 102 with or without a request from the GNSS receiver 104 forsuch fresh LTO information.

After obtaining the fresh LTO information, the GNSS receiver 104 mayupdate or otherwise supplement, as noted above with respect to FIG. 8,some or all of the current LTO information with the fresh LTOinformation, as shown in process block 1014. This may include replacingone or more of the predicted location parameters. As above, the GNSSreceiver 104 may update or otherwise supplement some or all of thecurrent LTO information with the fresh LTO information notwithstandingthat some or all of the current LTO information (and location parametersthereof) is estimated or determined invalid.

After process block 1014, the process 1000 transitions to terminationblock 1016, at which point the process 1000 ends. Alternatively, theprocess 1000 may be repeated periodically, in continuous fashion, orupon being triggered as a result of a condition, such as an error inreceiver or satellite position.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a process 1100 forobtaining and using fresh assistance data. For convenience, the process1100 is described herein with respect to the architecture shown in FIGS.1 and 2.

The process 1100 begins at termination block 1102, after the GNSSreceiver 104 (i) obtains from the server 102 the current assistancedata, which includes LTO information, such as an LTO model, and (ii)acquires the satellite signals from one or more (and typically four) ofa plurality of satellites. For convenience, the current assistance datais referred to as “current LTO information” with respect to process1100.

After termination block 1102, the process 1100 transitions to processblock 1104. At process block 1104, broadcast ephemeris obtained fromsatellites signals is used to determine a measured position of the GNSSreceiver 104 (“measured-position fix”). The measured-position fix may bedetermined, for example, by the GNSS receiver 104 and/or one or more ofthe tracking stations of the reference network 110. The GNSS receiver104 and/or the tracking stations may do so, for instance, by applyingthe broadcast ephemeris (garnered directly from the satellites orindirectly from the server 102) and measured pseudoranges to a secondrecursive or other type filter, and detecting the measured-position fixfrom an output of the second filter. The measured-position fix mayinclude one or more respective location parameters, including, forexample, latitude, longitude, altitude and/or a common-mode error.

At process block 1106, the current LTO information is used to generate,for each of the location parameters, a respective parameter threshold.These parameter thresholds may be generated, for example, by the GNSSreceiver 104 and/or the server 102. To facilitate generating theparameter thresholds, the GNSS receiver 104 and the server 102 may haveto obtain the measured-position fix from the other.

The parameter thresholds may be statically set to accommodate for or,alternatively, dynamically set to adjust for one or more of myriad ofconditions, including, for example, an actual location of the GNSSreceiver 104, a time since last obtaining the current LTO information,basis and/or type of the current LTO information, etc. Each of theparameter thresholds may include one or more thresholds, and may beapplied as boundaries to the location parameters. The boundaries mayfunction as one or more upper bounds, one or more lower bounds or somecombination thereof.

After process block 1106, the process 1100 transitions to process block1108. At process block 1108, validity of the current assistance data asa function of at least one of the parameter thresholds and a respectiveone of the measured location parameters is determined. The validity ofthe current assistance data may be determined, for example, by the GNSSreceiver 104 and/or the server 102. The GNSS receiver 104 and/or theserver 102 may do so, for instance, by determining if such measuredlocation parameter satisfies its respective parameter threshold. If themeasured location parameter satisfies its respective parameterthreshold, then the validity of the measured location parameter may bedeemed valid. Otherwise, the validity of the measured location parametermay be deemed invalid.

The process block 1108 may be performed for one or more of the remainingmeasured location parameters, as desired. Alternatively, the samefunctions may be performed for each of the remaining measured locationparameters unless one of them is deemed invalid. To facilitatedetermining the validity of the current LTO information, the GNSSreceiver 104 and the server 102 may have to obtain from the other therespective parameter thresholds and measured location parameters,depending of course, on which maintains such parameter thresholds andmeasured location parameters.

As shown in decision block 1110, if the GNSS receiver 104 determinesthat the measured location parameters are valid, then the processreturns to termination block 1102 to repeat the process 1100 as desired.If, on the other hand, any of the predicted location parameters aredeemed invalid, then the GNSS receiver 104 may exclude (e.g., mark toprevent use, remove, delete, etc.) at least a portion of the current LTOinformation from the current LTO information (“excluded LTOinformation”). The excluded LTO information may be, for example, thecurrent LTO information associated with satellite or satellites fromwhich the measured pseudoranges are determined.

In addition, the GNSS receiver 104 may obtain from the server 102 freshassistance data or “fresh LTO information”, as shown in process block1112. The GNSS receiver 104 may obtain the fresh LTO information fromthe server 102 with or without a request from the GNSS receiver 104.

After obtaining the fresh LTO information, the GNSS receiver 104 mayupdate or otherwise supplement, as noted above with respect to FIG. 8,some or all of the current LTO information with the fresh LTOinformation, as shown in process block 1114. This may include replacingone or more of the predicted location parameters. As above, the GNSSreceiver 104 may update or otherwise supplement some or all of thecurrent LTO information with the fresh LTO information notwithstandingthat some or all of the current LTO information (and location parametersthereof) is determined invalid.

After process block 1114, the process 1100 transitions to terminationblock 1116, at which point the process 1100 ends. Alternatively, theprocess 1100 may be repeated periodically, in continuous fashion, orupon being triggered as a result of a condition, such as an error inreceiver or satellite position.

Although the foregoing has been described with reference to GPSsatellites, it will be appreciated that the teachings are equallyapplicable to positioning systems that utilize pseudo lites or acombination of satellites and pseudolites. Pseudo lites are ground-basedtransmitters that broadcast a PN code (similar to the GPS signal) thatmay be modulated on an L-band carrier signal, generally synchronizedwith GPS time. The term “satellite”, as used herein, is intended toinclude pseudolites or equivalents of pseudolites, and the term “GPSsignals”, as used herein, is intended to include GPS-like signals frompseudolites or equivalents of pseudolites.

Moreover, in the preceding discussion, the invention has been describedwith reference to application upon the United States Global PositioningSystem (GPS). It should be evident, however, that these methods areequally applicable to similar satellite systems, and in particular, theRussian Glonass system and the European Galileo system. The term “GPS”used herein includes such alternative Global-Navigation-SatelliteSystems (GNSS), including the Russian Glonass system and the EuropeanGalileo system.

While the foregoing is directed to illustrative embodiments of thepresent invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may bedevised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scopethereof is determined by the claims that follow.

1. A method, comprising: obtaining a predicted pseudorange fromlong-term-orbit information possessed by a first receiver; obtaining, ata second receiver from at least one satellite, a measured pseudorange;determining validity of the predicted pseudorange as a function of thepredicted pseudorange and the measured pseudorange; and excluding fromthe long-term orbit information at least a portion of thereof when thevalidity of the predicted pseudorange is deemed invalid.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein excluding at least a portion of the long-term orbitinformation comprises: discarding long-term orbit information associatedwith the at least one satellite from which the measured pseudorange isobtained.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining validity of thepredicted pseudorange comprises: determining a difference between thepredicted pseudorange and the measured pseudorange, and whereinexcluding at least a portion of the long-term-orbit information occurswhen the difference satisfies a given threshold.
 4. The method of claim1, further comprising: performing the functions of claim 1 periodically.5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: supplementing thelong-term-orbit information when the validity of the predictedpseudorange is deemed invalid.
 6. The method of claim 5, whereinsupplementing the long-term-orbit information comprises supplementingthe long-term-orbit information with information selected from the groupconsisting of broadcast ephemeris, and long-term-orbit information. 7.The method of claim 5, wherein supplementing the long-term-orbitinformation comprises: discarding the long-term-orbit information inlieu of broadcast ephemeris.
 8. The method of claim 5, whereindetermining validity of the predicted pseudorange comprises: determininga difference between the predicted pseudorange and the measuredpseudorange, and wherein supplementing the long-term-orbit informationoccurs when the difference satisfies a given threshold.
 9. The method ofclaim 5, further comprising: sending from the first receiver a requestfor supplemental orbit information when the validity of the predictedpseudorange is deemed invalid; and receiving at the first receiver, inresponse to the request, the supplemental orbit information.
 10. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the supplemental orbit information is morecurrent than the long-term-orbit information.
 11. The method of claim 5,wherein supplementing the long-term-orbit information comprisessupplementing the long-term-orbit information with broadcast ephemerisobtained from the at least one satellite.
 12. The method of claim 5,wherein supplementing the long-term-orbit information comprises:replacing all of the long-term-orbit information.
 13. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the first receiver is a remote receiver, and whereinthe second receiver is a reference receiver.
 14. The method of claim 1,wherein the first and second receivers are the same receiver.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the same receiver is a remote receiver. 16.A method, comprising: (a) using long-term-orbit information todetermine, at a receiver, a first position of the receiver, wherein thefirst position comprises at least one first location parameter; (b)using satellite-navigation data transmitted from at least one satelliteto determine, at the receiver, a second position of the receiver,wherein the second position comprises at least one second locationparameter; (c) determining a difference between (i) the at least onefirst location parameter and (ii) the at least one second locationparameter; and (d) confirming that the long-term-orbit information isvalid when the difference satisfies a given threshold.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the at least one first location parameter comprises afirst parameter and a second parameter, wherein the at least one secondlocation parameter comprises a third parameter and a fourth parameter;wherein the difference comprises a first difference and a seconddifference; wherein the first difference comprises a difference betweenthe first and third parameters, wherein the second difference comprisesa difference between the second and fourth parameters, and whereinconfirming that the long-term-orbit information is valid comprisesconfirming that the first and second differences satisfy respectivethresholds.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first parameter is afirst altitude and the second parameter is any of first longitude andfirst latitude, and wherein the third parameter is a second altitude andthe second parameter is any of a second longitude and second latitude.19. The method of claim 16, further comprising: performing (c) and (d)responsive to a deviation between the first and second positions. 20.The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one first locationparameter comprises any of a first longitude, first latitude, firstaltitude and first common-mode error obtained from the long-term-orbitinformation, and wherein the at least one second location parametercomprises any of a second longitude, second latitude, second altitudeand second common-mode error obtained from the satellite-navigation datatransmitted from at least one satellite.
 21. The method of claim 20,wherein the at least one first location parameter comprises a pluralityof first locations parameters, wherein the at least one second locationparameter comprises a plurality of second location parameters, andfurther comprising: performing (c) and (d) using each of the pluralitiesof first and second location parameters.
 22. The method of claim 16,further comprising: excluding from the long-term orbit information atleast a portion of the long-term orbit information when the long-termorbit information is deemed invalid; obtaining supplemental orbitinformation from a device remotely located from the receiver; andsupplementing the long-term-orbit information with the supplementalorbit information when the validity of the predicted pseudorange isdeemed invalid.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the supplementalorbit information comprises information selected from the groupconsisting of broadcast ephemeris, and long-term-orbit information. 24.The method of claim 22, wherein supplementing the long-term-orbitinformation with the supplemental orbit information comprises: replacingthe long-term-orbit information with the supplemental orbit information.25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: sending from thereceiver a request for the supplemental orbit information when thedifference between satisfies the given threshold; and receiving at thesatellite-signal receiver, in response to the request, the supplementalorbit information.
 26. (canceled)
 27. A receiver comprising: memoryoperable to store executable instructions and long-term-orbitinformation; a processor operable to obtain from the memory theexecutable instructions and operable to execute the executableinstructions to: obtain a predicted pseudorange from the long-term-orbitinformation; obtain a measured pseudorange from at least one satellite;determine validity of the predicted pseudorange as a function of thepredicted pseudorange and the measured pseudorange; and exclude from thelong-term-orbit information at least a portion thereof when deeming thevalidity of the predicted pseudorange is deemed invalid.
 28. Thereceiver of claim 27, wherein the executable instructions to exclude atleast a portion of the long-term orbit information comprises: executableinstructions to discard long-term orbit information associated with theat least one satellite from which the measured pseudorange is obtained.29. The receiver of claim 27, further comprising: executableinstructions to supplement the long-term-orbit information withsupplemental orbit information when the validity of the predictedpseudorange is deemed invalid.
 30. The receiver of claim 29, wherein thesupplemental orbit information comprises information selected from thegroup consisting of broadcast ephemeris, and long-term-orbitinformation.
 31. The receiver of claim 29, wherein executableinstructions to supplement the long-term-orbit information comprise:executable instructions to discard the long-term-orbit information inlieu of broadcast ephemeris.
 32. The receiver of claim 27, wherein theexecutable instructions to determine validity of the predictedpseudorange comprises executable instructions to determine a differencebetween the predicted pseudorange and the measured pseudorange, andwherein the processor is operable to execute the executable instructionsto exclude at least a portion of the long-term-orbit information whenthe difference satisfies a given threshold.
 33. The receiver of claim29, further comprising: a transceiver for sending from the receiver arequest for the supplemental orbit information when the validity of thepredicted pseudorange is deemed invalid; and for receiving at thereceiver, in response to the request, the supplemental orbitinformation.
 34. A system comprising: a receiver comprising: a firstmemory operable to store executable instructions and long-term-orbitinformation; and a first processor operable to obtain from the firstmemory the executable instructions and operable to execute theexecutable instructions to: use long-term-orbit information todetermine, at the receiver, a first position of the receiver, whereinthe first position comprises at least one first location parameter; usesatellite-navigation data transmitted from at least one satellite todetermine, at the receiver, a second position of the receiver, whereinthe second position comprises at least one second location parameter;determine a difference between (i) the at least one first locationparameter and (ii) the at least one second location parameter; andconfirm that the long-term-orbit information is valid when thedifference satisfies a given threshold; and a server comprising: asecond memory operable to store executable instructions, thelong-term-orbit information and supplemental orbit information; and asecond processor operable to obtain from the second memory theexecutable instructions and operable to execute the executableinstructions to: provide to the receiver the long-term-orbitinformation; and provide to the receiver the supplemental orbitinformation.
 35. The system of claim 34, wherein the first processor isfurther operable to execute the executable instructions to: exclude fromthe long-term orbit information at least a portion of thereof when thelong-term orbit information is deemed invalid; and supplement thelong-term-orbit information with the supplemental orbit information whenthe validity of the predicted pseudorange is deemed invalid.
 36. Thesystem of claim 34, wherein the supplemental orbit information comprisesinformation selected from the group consisting of broadcast ephemeris,and long-term-orbit information.
 37. The system of claim 36, wherein theexecutable instructions to supplement the long-term-orbit informationwith the supplemental orbit information comprise: executableinstructions to replace the long-term-orbit information with thesupplemental orbit information.
 38. The system of claim 35, wherein thefirst parameter is a first altitude and the second parameter is any offirst longitude and first latitude, and wherein the third parameter is asecond altitude and the second parameter is any of a second longitudeand second latitude.
 39. The system of claim 35, wherein the firstprocessor is further operable to execute the executable instructions todetermine the difference and to confirm that the long-term-orbitinformation is valid responsive to a deviation between the first andsecond positions.
 40. The system of claim 35, wherein the firstprocessor is further operable to execute the executable instructions tosupplement the at least one first location parameter with a thirdlocation parameter obtained from the orbit information when thedifference satisfies a given threshold.
 41. A system comprising: areceiver comprising: a first memory operable to store executableinstructions and a first set of long-term-orbit information; and a firstprocessor operable to obtain from the first memory the executableinstructions and operable to execute the executable instructions to: usethe first set of long-term-orbit information to determine, at thereceiver, a first position of the receiver, wherein the first positioncomprises at least one first location parameter; usesatellite-navigation data transmitted from at least one satellite todetermine, at the receiver, a second position of the receiver, whereinthe second position comprises at least one second location parameter;and a server comprising: a second memory operable to store executableinstructions, the long-term-orbit information and first and second setsof long-term-other orbit information; and a second processor operable toobtain from the second memory the executable instructions and operableto execute the executable instructions to: provide to the receiver thefirst set of set of long-term-orbit information; determine a differencebetween (i) the at least one first location parameter and (ii) the atleast one second location parameter; confirm that the first set oflong-term-orbit information is valid when the difference satisfies agiven threshold; and provide to the receiver the second set oflong-term-other orbit information.
 42. A system comprising: a firstreceiver comprising: a first memory operable to store executableinstructions and long-term-orbit information; and a first processoroperable to obtain from the first memory the executable instructions andoperable to execute the executable instructions to: obtain a predictedpseudorange from the long-term-orbit information possessed by the firstreceiver; a second satellite-signal receiver comprising: a second memoryoperable to store executable instructions; and a second processoroperable to obtain from the second memory the executable instructionsand operable to execute the executable instructions to: obtain, from atleast one satellite, a measured pseudorange; a server comprising: athird memory operable to store executable instructions, thelong-term-orbit information and other orbit information; and a thirdprocessor operable to obtain from the third memory the executableinstructions and operable to execute the executable instructions to:determine validity of the predicted pseudorange as a function of thepredicted pseudorange and the measured pseudorange; and send to thefirst receiver the other orbit information when the validity of thepredicted pseudorange is deemed invalid.
 43. The system of claim 42,wherein the executable instructions to determine validity of thepredicted pseudorange comprise: executable instructions to determine adifference between the predicted pseudorange and the measuredpseudorange, and wherein the executable instructions to send to thefirst receiver the second set of long-term-other orbit informationoccurs when the difference satisfies a given threshold.
 44. The systemof claim 42, wherein the first receiver is a remote receiver, andwherein the second receiver is a reference receiver.
 45. The system ofclaim 42, wherein the first and second receivers are the same receiverand wherein the first memory and the second memory are the different.46. The system of claim 45, wherein the same receiver is a remotereceiver.
 47. The method of claim 1, wherein the long-term-orbitinformation has a validity period exceeding four hours.